﻿There was a time when you had to stick to a treadmill to accurately track your level of physical activity-how far you’d walked or run, how many calories you’d burned and how hard you’d worked. But these days there’s a wide range of equipment to help you get the right workout outdoors.

For starters, there’s the once-basic pedometer, which measures the number of steps you take thanks to a manual or electronic arm that’s triggered by your movement. With most new pedome﻿ters which range up to about $50 you input your stride length and weight, and they’ll tell you not only how far you’ve gone, but also how many calories you’ve burned. Some come with a sensor that reads your pulse.

A pedometer’s reliability depends on the accuracy of the stride length you input, so if your stride changes while hiking or running, the results will be less accurate.

If you want better accuracy, check out the latest watches with GPS technology, such as the Garmin Forerunner. These units also come with other special training features.

For even more feedback on your workout, try the Timex BodyLink System. It combines three separate technologies-a digital watch, a GPS unit and a heart-rate monitor-to tell you everything a treadmill can and more. It also lets you know exactly where you are when you’re enjoying your outdoor workout.